18-11
from WTND, page 378 and 379
Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid)
Often comes in:
300 mg. (5 grain) tablets Price:____ for
75 mg. (1 1/4 grain) tablets for children
(or ‘child’s aspirin’) Price:____ for
Aspirin is a very useful, low-cost ‘painkiller’ or
analgesic. It helps to calm pain, lower fever, and
reduce inflammation. It also helps a little to calm
cough and reduce itching.
Many different medicines sold for pain, arthritis,
or colds contain aspirin, but they are more
expensive and often do not do any more good than
aspirin alone.
Once you have found the correct
dosage, explain it carefully to
Mrs. Babalama. Instead of telling her
to give Edafi the medicine “every 4 to
6 hours,” it may be better to tell her
the times of day when Edafi should
take the aspirin:
• at sunrise
• at noon
• at sunset
• at night, before going to sleep
This is about every 6 hours.
Risks and Precautions:
1. Do not use aspirin for stomach pain or
indigestion. Aspirin is acid and may make
the problem worse. For the same reason,
persons with stomach ulcers should
never use aspirin.
2. Aspirin causes stomach pain or ‘heartburn’
in some persons. To avoid this, take aspirin
with milk, a little bicarbonate of soda, or a
lot of water—or together with meals.
3. Do not give more than 1 dose of aspirin
to a dehydrated person until he begins
to urinate well.
4. It is better not to give aspirin to children
under 12 years and especially not to
babies (acetaminophen is safer) or to
persons with asthma (this may bring on
an attack).
5. Keep aspirin where children cannot reach
it. Large amounts can poison them.
6. Do not give to pregnant women.
You may want to use the dosage
blanks that are explained on pages 63
and 64 of WTND. Extra copies can be
found in the back of the book.
Here is what Edafi’s dosage blank would look
like if you used 300 mg. tablets.
Dosage of aspirin—for pain or fever: —
tablets of 300 mg. (5 grains)—
Take once every 4 to 6 hours (or 4 to 6
times a day), but do not give to children
more than 4 times a day.
If you used 75 mg. ‘children’s aspirin’, it
adults: 1 or 2 tablets (300 to 600 mg.)
children 8 to 12 years: 1 tablet (300 mg.)
would look like this.
children 3 to 7 years: 1/2 tablet (150 mg.)
children 1 to 2 years old: 1/4 tablet (75 mg.)
(Dose may be doubled for severe menstrual
pain, severe arthritis or rheumatic fever. Or give
100 mg./kg./day. If ringing of the ears develops,
lower the dose.)
—75 mg. child’s aspirin tablets—
Give children aspirin 4 times a day:
children 8 to 12 years: 4 tablets (300 mg.)
children 3 to 7 years: 2 to 3 tablets (150 to
225 mg.)
children 1 to 2 years: 1 tablet (75 mg.)
do not give aspirin to children under 1
year old